Hood for car-diaphragms.



E. E. WHITMORE.

HOOD FOB CAB DIAPHBAGMS.

APPLICATION Hummm. 1o, 191s.

1,078,757. Patented Nov.1s,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. E. WHITMORE.

' noon ron GABDIAPHRAGMS. APPLICATION FILED E'IIBJOA 1913.

1,078,757. Patented N0v.18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a citizen of the United States,

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE EDIVARDE. WHITMORE, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CURTAIN SUPPLY COVIPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HOOD FOR CAR-DIAPHRAGMS.

Specication of Letters Patent. Application led February 10, 1913.

Patented Nov. 18. 15H 2S. Serial No. 747,326.

` [o all whom it may concern.'

Be it' known that I, EDWARD E. WHITMORE, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain neiT and useful Improvements in Hoods for Car-Dia phragms, of which the fol-lowing is a specification. l

lIn railw-.ay car construction, as is Well known, the vestibules of adjacent cars are closed in by a liexible diaphragm arranged at the two sides of and above the platform, this y diaphragm being of the accordion type and connected at one extremity tothe end of its car and at the other extremity to a face plate which yieldingly bears against the face plate of the other car. By reason of the formation of the diaphragm in accordion plaits the upper roof portion of the same presents creases or folds with sharp angles which coincide with the line" of junction or hinge of the fabric and the dust and cinders collecting therein speedily cut and ruin the diaphragm.

This invention has for its object to overcome this trouble by the provision of a hood or ily overlying and in spaced relation to the roof of the diaphragm, the hood being formed with rounded grooves and doWn turned at the two sides of the vestibule to following description based thereon is setA forth a preferred embodiment of the-invention which is likewise susceptible of considerable variation as to constructional details without departure from the essence thereof orsacrifice ofits material advantages.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a Vertical longitudinal section through the upperportion of a car vestibule; Fig. 2 is a partial transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a view partially in section and partially in plan on the line 8-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a perspective View 'of the dia hragm hood disassociated from the car; andJ Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which such a hood is made.

Having reference in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 11 designates generally the end of a car and the numeral '12 the face plate yieldingly supported by means of the spring 13, and the guide rod 14 .playing Within the aperture 15 of the car end. The diaphragm is composed in the usual manner ot' the sections 16, 16 arranged in folds with their nier-ting edges united by the cover strips 17, the'one extremity 18 of the diaphragm being secured to the car end and the other extremity 19 being secured to the face plate l2. l

The construction thus far describedrepresent-s the usual form of car diaphragm and it is open to the objection that the dust and cinders collect in the V-shaped troughs 20, 2O of the roof portion and working in between the meetinff edges of the sections where seamed together, cut and thus ruin the fabric. Moisture likewise from snow and rain finds its way into the seams and carrying with it the dust and grime acts destructively upon the diaphragm.

According to my invention a hood is formed from a blank 21 of the general shape indicated in Fig. 5, which is clamped along its marginal edges 22, 22, between the retaining strips 23, 23 and the extremities 18 and 19 of the diaphragm proper, the whole being securely attached to the end of the car and to the face plate by the fastening devices 24, 24. The blank is creased along two or more lines 25, 25 to provide the upturned margins 22, 22 by which it is secured to the car end and face plate, and along one or more medial lines 26 to form an upstanding ridge which overlies the upstanding edges of the diaphragm folds. When thus creased the hood overlies the diaphragm in spaced relation thereto after the manner of the fly of a tent. That portion of a hood between the creases 25 and 26 being formed as grooves having rounded bottoms 27, 27, as distinguished from the sharp tapered bottom of the angular spaces 2() of the diaphragm. The blank is provided in each of its two sides with one or more notches 28, the adjacent edges of which are united as indicated at 29 to form a dart whereby the sides are drawn downward and inward t0- ward the side walls of the diaphragm to giie a hooded effect and to more effectively exclude lthe dust and cinders as Well as of air from entering beneath the hood and lodging upon the diaphragm or by their violence turning the hood inside out or tearing it from its fastenings. By the provision of the darts 29 the lateral margins of the hood are very edectually stilened while at the same time leaving them entirely flexible and gusts sub'ect to collapse as the face plates yield un er bu'ing strain.

I claim:

1. The combination with a car-diaphragm, of n. hood ldisposed thereabove in. spaced relation thereto, the hood having transversely extending grooves, and the outer terminal portions downturned toward the diaphragm, substantially as described.

2. The combination with `a ear-diaphragm, of a hood secured thcreabove to the car end and face plate, the hood having transversely extending grooves with rounded bottoms and downwardly inclined toward the sides, the outer terminal portions downturned toward the diaphragm, substantially as described. j

Il. The'Combination with a. oar diaphragm, of a hood disposed thercabove, the hood having transversely extending grooves and downwardly inclined toward the sides, the

sg outer` terminal portions provided between the grooves with darts whereby to deflect.

the same .downwardly along the side Walls of the diaphragm and prevent. the entrance of the elements thereunder, substantially as de scribed.

4. The combination with a car-diaphragm, of. a hood secured thereabovegto the car end and face plate, the hood havingtiansvcrsely extending grooves with rounded bottoms dowmvardly inclined toward the sides, the

.the outer terminal portions provided between the grooves with darts whereby to deflect the saine downwardly along the side walls of the diaphragm and prevent the entrance of the elements thereunder, substantially as described.

, ED'WARD E. VVHITMORE. Vitnesses:

R. S. REYNOLDS, S. W. MiDGLEY. 

